Laminated article



Y Jan. 19,1937. A. w. op-mm 2,068,533

LAMINATED ARTICLE Filed June 11, 1935 wmm Patented Jan. 19,1931 I 2,068,533

UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE LAMINATED narrow Alden W. Coifman, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 11, 1935, Serial No. 26,079

5 Claims. (Cl. 154-43) This invention relates to a laminated article ina-tions, and contemplates a structure in which and method of making the same. there is provided a metal reenforcing member In general, the object of the invention is to such as steel, bronze, brass, or any metal capable provide a novel and improved laminated article of alloying with a metal adhesive. The inven- 5 having superior bonding strength between the tion further contemplates a fibrous layer aflixed 5 laminations thereof, having superior ability to to the aforesaid metal reenforcing member by a withstand temperature changes, and to withstand metal adhesive. The metal adhesive may comflexure, which may be conveniently manufacprise zinc, tin, lead, cadmium, or any alloys theretured, and whose construction lends itself to the of, or any other suitable alloys capable of bonduse of a much wider variety of component meming with the metal reenforcing member. I 10 bers in producing the laminated product. To the fibrous layer of the structure thus far A further object of the invention is to provide s ib d, an outer lay of a y desired p s a novel and improved resin laminated article tion may be affixed to produce the improved lampossessing increased bonding strength, improved inated article. a

ability to withstand moisture and temperature The outer layer may comprise a unitary single 15 changes, and improved ability to withstand flex ply, or it may itself be composed of a plurality of ure as compared with prior resin laminated articomponent members, such as plywood. for exam:- cles of which I am aware. ple, and the outer layer may or may not be coated A still further object of the invention is to with coating materials such as resin. Further provide a novel and improved method of prothe composition of the outer layer itself may be 20 ducing the improved laminated articles by which either organic such as rubber, resin, or wood such articles may be produced with more conveneer, or any other suitable material depending venience and in a superior manner than by other upon the use to which the improved laminated prior processes of which I am aware. article is to be put, or on the other hand it may i In the drawing which illustrates more or less be composed of inorganic materials such as mar- 25 diagrammatically laminated articles embodying ble, glass, and the like. the. present invention, Referring to the drawing, I it represents a metal Fig. l is a development in plan illustrating the member which may take any form, herein illusseveral'component parts of the laminated prodtrated as comprising a sheet. The metal member 11 i; may comprise steel, bronze, brassor anymetal 0 Fig. 2 is a sectional detail on the line 2-2, of capable of alloying with a metal adhesive, and d v for convenience of descriptionwill be hereinafter Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a resin laminated referred to as a steel sheet. The steel sheet is sheet embodying the invention. provided upon one or both sides thereof with a Prior to the present invention laminated artilayer it of fibrous material bonded to the steel 35 cles, particularly laminated sheets, have been exsheet by an interposed layer IA of metal adhesive. tensively used in the construction of furniture, The metal adhesive may comprise zinc, tin, lead, bus bodies, ship construction, railroad cars, and cadmium, or any alloys thereof, or any other for various other purposes, in which a decorative suitable alloy capable of bonding with the metal 40 sheet or material was required. Essentially this member it, and the metal adhesive layer it! may 40 prior laminated sheet material comprised a reenbe applied to the steel sheet it in any usual-or forcing steel sheet and an outer decorative layer preferred manner, such for example as by any which was adhesively secured to the steel sheet of the commercial forms of processes now used by various adhesive materials. The outer layer for the application of zinc, tin, lead, or alloying 5 or component member-of the laminated product coating. While the metal adhesive layer it is in usually comprised" laminated resin such as bakea molten condition, the fibrous layer l2 may be lite, usually made by building up a layer of a pluapplied to the metal adhesive layer it. under rallty of paper sheets impregnated with the ,resin suflicient pressure to effect an interpenetration of and secured together under heat and pressure. the fibers into the metal adhesive and of the;

50 In addition plywood and also thin wood veneer metal adhesive into the fibers, so that upon subhave been used as the outer layer of such prior sequent cooling the fibrous layer l2 and the metal laminated products. adhesive layer Hi are securely interlocked. I

The present invention aims to provide an im- In order to produce the 'present laminated proved laminated product, particularly with reproduct, I may utilize as an outer layer It any spect to the bofidi g St e t be the amdesired material, either organic or inorganic in a single ply, or may itself be composed of a plufully .used with reduced liability: of fracture durrality of component members such as plywood for example, and any usual iorany preferred adhesive material maybe utilized to effect the union or bonding of the outer layer 16 to the fibrous layer I2. In the application of this adhesive to the fibrous layer I2, it is desirable that the adhesive should be applied in such an amount and in such manner that it will impregnate the fibrous layer and become adhesively secured to the underlying metal adhesive layer I4, thus further increasing the efficiency with which the outer layer I6 is attached and also reenforcing' and increasing the strength of the intermediate fibrous layer I2. In the application of the outer layer I6 I prefer to utilize pressure, and the amount of pressure will vary according to-the' particular product being produced and the character of adhesive employed in producing the product. This pressure may vary from a few pounds per square inchup to from 1000 to 2000 pounds per square inch.

Among the various laminated articles which may be producedembodying the present invention, I may utilize wood veneer as the outer layer l6 and it may be adhesively afiixed to the underlying fibrous layer I2 by suitable adhesives such as casein, blood albumen, or animal glues, or by resins such for example as the well-known phenolic formaldehyde resins, the urea formaldehyde resins, and the vinyl resins. The laminated product thus produced finds particular use for all of the purposesfor which laminated Wood veneer products ofthe prior art have been used, including for example in the furniture art, for

wall paneling, and for various interior finishes such as is utilizeddn ships, railroad cars, etc., and as above stated the improved product possesses the superior characteristics inherent in all of the laminated products embodying the present invention in which the outer layer is laminated to the underlying fibrous layer I2,

Another embodiment of the present invention may be produced by utilizing glass as the outer layer. or member I6, and the glass layer may be adhesively affixed to the underlying fibrous layer I2 utilizing any of the known adhesives of the general type used in cementing the glass, including compositions which are now come monly used in the production of shatter-proof glass. In the application of the glass to the underlying fibrous layer, I2 relatively low pressure is utilized andv it is also preferred to utilize a fibrous layer I2 of a relatively thin nature, such for example 'as that produced in utilizing cotton cloth as the fibrous layer I2. The laminated glass surface product produced is particularly useful as wall-paneling, presenting a washable glass surface, and the character of the glass may be varied to present a designed and/or colored appearance, and in addition to its use as'wallpaneling, the product may also be used with advantage as a bureau top, desk top, and as acovering for other surfaces. The reenforcement provided by the steel sheet III strengthens the glass and enables thin sections of glass to be successing handling and in use. a

Another embodiment of the invention may be uct. A product may be produced which is similar in characteristics to the glass laminated product above referred to.

The same type of adhesives may be utilized as indicated in connection a with the production of the glass laminated prod-- uct. The use of a thin section of marble reeniorced by the steel sheet I0 enables a decorative material to be produced and to be used for the production of decorated surfaces in a much more economical manner and involving less expense than commercial forms of marble blocks heretofore pbtainable. In addition the liability of the marble to become fractured is substantially decreased.

Another embodiment of theinvention com-.

prises a seriesoi laminated products produced by utilizing rubber or synthetic rubber-like'prod-' ucts, such as those known to the trade as Duprene and Thiokol, as the outer layer I6 of the laminated article. The rubber or synthetic rubber-like layers I6 may be adhesively affixed to the underlying fibrous layer I2 ,utilizing suitable cementitious materials, and for some purposes may be vulcanized by heat and pressure, or otherwise. For some purposes it may be desirable that the rubber or synthetic rubber-like layers be applied as uncured compositions to the fibrous layer I2 and vulcanized in place. The laminated products produced may be utilized with advantage in the construction of containers, tanks, protected pipes, and for other general purposes where the rubber or rubber-like surface may be useful. l V

Another embodiment of the invention comprises a laminated product in which an outer layer I6 of any desiredcomposition is adhesively secured to the underlying fibrous layer, I2.'by a synthetic resin, such for exampleas a phenolic formaldehyde resin, a urea formaldehyderesin, vinyl resins, and the like. In the application" of the outer layer I8, I prefer to impregnate the fibrous layer I2 with the resin and unite the outer layer by means of heat and pressure. For some purposes it is desirable that the finished laminated product be provided with a resin surface, and in order to produce such a product I prefer to impregnate the outer layer I6 before application to the fibrous layer I2 with the synthetic resin. Furthermore, when such is the case the impregnation of the fibrous layer I2 may be accomplished by penetration of excess resin from the saturated outer layer or layers into the fibrous layer due to the application of heat and pressure with the subsequent curing of the resin. This outer layer I6 which is to be saturated with resin bonding strength between the laminationstherh of, due tothe superior bond between the fibrous layer I2 and steel sheet I0 by reason ofthe intere penetration of the metal adhesive and fibrous I layer and the alloying of the metal adhesive to the steel sheet. The fibrous layer, I2'provides a superior surface to which the outer layer I6 may be laminated and as a result of the structure of the present product, the latter possesses superior ability to withstand temperature changes and to:

withstand flexure. In addition as will be apparent, the structure lends itself particularly-to tion has been herein illustrated and described it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated article capable of withstanding substantial temperature changes without delamination, comprising a metal article, a preformed layer superimposed thereon, and an intermediate cushioning and expansion equalizing layer comprising a fibrous layer to which the preformed layer is aifixed to form a-unit therewith, and a metallic adhesive layer alloyed with the metal article and keyed to the fibrous layer whereby stresses result-. ing from the differential expansion and contraction of the metallic article and the superimposed layer are transmitted from the metallic article directly through the metallic adhesive layer to the fibrous layer.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated article capable of withstanding substantial temperature changes without delamination, com-' prising a metal article, a preformed layer superimposed thereon, comprising wood veneer, and an intermediate cushioning and expansion equal-- izing layer comprising a fibrous layer to which the preformed layer is afiixed to form a unit therewith, and a metallic adhesive layer alloyed with the metal article and keyed to the fibrous layer whereby stresses resulting from the differential expansion and contraction'of-the metallic article imposed thereon, comprising marble, and an intermediate cushioning and expansion equalizing layer comprising a fibrous layer to which the preformed layer is afflxed to form a unit therewith, and. a metallic adhesive layer alloyed with the metal article and keyedto the fibrous layer whereby stresses resulting from the differential expansion and contraction of the metallic article and the .superimposed layer are transmitted from the metallic article directly through the metallic adhesive layer to the fibrous layer.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated article capable of withstanding substantial temperature'changes without delamination, comprising a metal article, a preformed layer superim-' posed thereon, comprising glass, and an intermediate cushioning and expansion equalizing layer comprising a fibrous layer to which the preformed layer is affixed to form a unit therewith, and a metallic adhesive layer alloyed with the metal article and keyed to the fibrous layer whereby stresses resulting from the differential expansion and contraction of the metallic article and the superimposed layer are transmitted from the metallic article directly through the metallic adhesive layer to the fibrous layer.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated article capable of withstanding substantial temperature changes without delamination, comprising a metal article, a superimposed layer comprising a preformed resinous sheet, and an intermediate cushioning and expansion equalizing layer comprising a fibrouslayer impregnated with resinous material and to which the superimposed layer is affixed to form a unit therewith, and a metallic adhesive layerflalloyed with the metal article and keyed to the fibrous layer whereby stresses resulting from the differential expansion and contraction of the metallic "article and the superimposed layer are transmitted from the me ALDEN W. German. 

